Jean Augustine

Jean Augustine is a Grenada-born Canadian politician and educator best known as the first Black Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons and the first Black woman to serve in a federal cabinet role.

Jean Augustine is a Grenada-born Canadian politician and educator best known as the first Black Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons and the first Black woman to serve in a federal cabinet role. She represented Etobicoke—Lakeshore as a Liberal MP from 1993 to 2006 and later served as Ontario’s first Fairness Commissioner.

Early life and education

Jean Augustine was born on September 9, 1937, in Happy Hill, St. George's, Grenada. She later moved to Canada, where she trained as a teacher and studied at the University of Toronto, building a career in education before entering politics.

Federal political career

Augustine was elected to the House of Commons in 1993 as the Liberal MP for Etobicoke—Lakeshore, becoming the first Black Canadian woman to hold a seat in Parliament. She served four consecutive terms and held several roles, including Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Minister of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, making her the first Black woman in a federal cabinet position.

Public policy and legacy

Augustine is credited with introducing the motion that led to February being recognized as Black History Month in Canada. Her work is widely associated with equity, multiculturalism, and representation, including motions supporting women’s history.

Later career and honours

After leaving Parliament in 2006, Augustine became Ontario’s first Fairness Commissioner. She has received national honours including the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and has had educational and community institutions named after her.